Layla, someone asked you recently to share the link, but I believe they meant in conjunction with, not instead of, the snippets you share. Some of us never go to the link unless we feel the article looks like it has something meaningful to say, and your snippet might reveal that; some want the context to draw their own conclusions, and some of us never follow certain links so the part you share becomes enough. In other words, /in a humble tone/ would you please continue to share brief parts of an article you feel has something to offer AS WELL AS THE LINK. Thank you.

vc, I appreciate your frustration…as I noted in a post yesterday, my computer’s configuration is the problem. I am now able to post links but still unable to post some excerpts! My son is working on it for me. Hopefully this will be resolved soon. In the meantime I will simply avoid posting links as my goal is certainly not to inconvenience anyone. Thanks for the tone of your post.

Hey, Layla, no frustration! [That’s the problem with not being able to put emotions in these answers – except maybe negative ones ;) ] And not at all inconvenienced! I’m not so easily frustrated or inconvenienced, you know. :razz: Was trying to help since I saw the request yesterday or whenever – I missed a lot by jumping all over the place since this trip has started so I never saw your response. Please don’t avoid following your instincts. Everyone has opinions – you do what works for you and your computer and someone will be appreciative…. or not. :grin:

Thank you for your kind words vc. I am actually disappointed in the tone of one post re this issue. I will take a break from TOD for a while until I fix the computer and calm down. Keep up the great work!

Layla, breathe in deeply. Breathe out deeply. Let it go! Remember our motto of #FORWARD? Take a break if you must, but I’ll be expecting you back in an hour or two (enough time to get the chores done? to cook?)! :grin: What are the long weekend plans, anyway – you’re not working, are you?

Wasn’t PBO’s Africa Town Hall MAH-HA-VEL-LOUS!! A world leader who can speak and respond to his subjects in any area of his kingdom without an adviser shield! Just, “WOW”! [The only thing that could have made my guy a more perfect world leader IMO is if he could speak all the world’s languages. ;) ]

BTW, slow it down a bit, Chipsticks. There are some senior citizens on board, you know.

Thank you so much Chip for all the posts and news and the rest of the TOD crew who post links. I haven’t read half of it so don’t have anything to contribute, but I am so proud of our President and First Lady and their family. I wish those who dislike him would listen to him with an open mind. The Obamas are brilliant and empathetic and beautiful inside and out. The media is losing out big time at their peril. I have another issue I’d like to discuss on ACA when appropriate. Thanks again family. :grin:

C-SPAN used to carry these speeches if Not LIVE, they used to carry the Taped version. These days, C-SPAN with 3 networks, Live Stream Line capabilities, XM and Radio station in DC……this POTUS, Dems and any Leftie leaning events get lukewarm play.

Thank you Toders, for seeing the good, hope in my fellow young Africans. We aren’t as dumb, uninformed, unknowledgeable and backward as the rightwing haters think of us. In fact, if it wasn’t for the bad leaders and massive corruption, Africa would be way ahead. Despite, all the obstacles as I know most of you on here know already, African parents treasure education a lot. In the very remote, poor areas kids as young as 3 yrs walk miles barefoot just to attend school and in most cases, these schools are under trees. So, I really have hope for Africa. Thank you Potus and Flotus for making those young people soooooooo happy by visiting and speaking to them. People in my country of Uganda were over the moon since Wednesday about the town hall.

In a statement, Graca Machel said she spoke to the Obamas on the telephone. “Having taken the time to telephone me to express their solidarity and meet our children, they have added a touch of personal warmth that is characteristic of the Obama family,” she said. “I am humbled by their comfort and messages of strength and inspiration which I have already conveyed to Madiba.” Obama met privately with members of the Mandela family at the Nelson Mandela Centre for Memory shortly after concluding bilateral talks with President Jacob Zuma. Machel wished the Obama’s – who were accompanied by their two daughters – an enjoyable visit to South Africa.

I have to say that I have noticed a very nasty slant to much of the BBC’s coverage of PBO since last year but it has become progressively worse from their US reporters like Mark Mardell . Gone is any attempt at straight reporting and anything slightly positive must be countered by negative and/or snarky comments. Maybe I am being too sensitive but here is another example to me:

Criquet it’s not just you. I’ve been talking about BBC’s slanted coverage throughout this recent trip to Africa. It’s nasty and agenda-driven, but most importantly it’s extremely distorted. Here are just a few examples of some tweets I’ve posted earlier today:

@BBCWorld That picture looks a a stock photo that could have been taken at any time. Who is really behind this "protest" narrative?

Thank you hf2 for confirming what I have been noticing. BBC used to be a reliable straight news source. No more.
Seems they have ODS (Obama Derangement Syndrome) as well.
Don’t know if the change in Gov’t and then the subsequent shake-up at the BBC has caused an influx or RW leaning reporters.

good hawaii morning chips and tods!
thanks to everyone here for the terrific coverage of the president’s trip to africa. you can scour the internet and not get the news he’s even there, let alone all this depth and breadth. again, tod rocks!
and a huge mahalo to the amazing ss folks who are keeping the president and entourage safe on this journey! what a challenge, and what an inspiring undertaking. so beautiful to see our first family interacting with the people of africa, everywhere they go.

Happy Saturday everyone! So much to catch up on here! Been working outside for a bit this morning (THAT didn’t last long!) and doing things around the house in the air conditioning….feels like the broiler out there….even the birds are quiet.

So proud of this family, this President. My heart just swells with pride that he represents us the way he does. I woke to my coffee and Mrs, Obama explaining the trip to the island. So powerful. She was riveting and I was riveted listening to her.

Daughter is coming home from her CT trip today. Getting excitedly ready for her return, so I poke my head in and out :) Thank you all for all the perfect coverage of the FF trip…it’s been a joy to see.

Thank you so much for this coverage. I came home and am just catching up. Unfortunately, I turned on MSNBC just in time to hear the woman who covers the WH (don’t know her name) say that President Obama received a MIXED greeting in South Africa. Before that she said a couple of hundred people were protesting. Well if 1000’s came out and were cheering him, exactly how is that a MIXED reception?